Product Description

After a decade of reining the country music charts as the queen of country soul, Aubrey James, the daughter of legendary gospel singers, must come face-to-face with her life. After being betrayed by a close friend, Aubrey agrees to tell her exclusive story to CMT's Inside NashVegas host Beth Rose. Little does she know her future depends on reconciling with her past. But Aubrey's country world is rocked when Inside NashVegas host Scott Vaughn, a former love interest, shows up to hold the interview instead of Beth Rose. It's too late for the diva to change her mind. Scott's gentle manner and insightful interviewing wins Aubrey's trust, and ultimately her heart.

Publisher's Description

What do you do when the past you've been skirting shows up at your door with cameras rolling?

Aubrey James ruled the charts as the queen of country for over a decade. She'd rocketed to fame in the shadow of her parents' death-both of them pioneers in Gospel music. But while her public life, high profile romances, and fights with Music Row execs made for juicy tabloid headlines, the real and private Aubrey has remained a media mystery.

When a former band member betrays Aubrey's trust and sells an "exclusive" to a tabloid, the star knows she must go public with her story. But Aubrey's private world is rocked when the Inside NashVegas interviewer is someone from her past-someone she'd hoped to forget.

All the moxie in the world won't let this Diva run any longer.

Author Bio

Rachel Hauck is an award winning, bestselling author. Her book, The Wedding Dress, was named Inspirational Novel of the Year by Romantic Times, and Once Upon A Prince was a Christy Award finalist. Rachel lives in central Florida with her husband and two pets and writes from her ivory tower.

Diva NashVegas was a fun, adventurous read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The humor was delightful and the antics between Aubrey and Scott were hilarious at times. I enjoyed hanging out with Aubrey and getting a feel for who she really was inside. How she learned to conquer her fears and make better decisions for herself, including returning to her childhood faith. Aubrey was a tough, but lovable diva, and when people treated her like a normal person it not only touched her heart, but it moved mine as well. Fame definitely comes with a price and her story is a wonderful illustration of that truth. Overall, Aubrey seemed more like a friend to me than a character in a novel. She was that real. And the way the author brought her character out through a variety of interviews was pure genius.Scott grabbed my heart from the beginning. Though I didn't despise Car, I definitely wanted to see her with Scott, who was less pretentious. However, the scene with Car in the restaurant was truly touching. And her discovery of her feelings toward Scott gave me delicious shivers. Scott was just an all-around nice guy and a true hero in every sense regarding Aubrey. I loved watching their friendship grow. I think of all the novels Rachel has written (that I've read) this is my favorite. I highly recommend it.

Rachel Hauck's vibrant, imperfect and captivating characters make this novel so wonderfully entertaining. Aubrey is brash, confident and all that makes a true diva yet Rachel has infused her with a vulnerability that makes her real. From her fiancee to her manager, best friend and step-mum, all the characters have substance and I found their quirks and the roles they play in Aubrey's life downright fascinating! The novel is interspersed with the interviews between Scott and Aubrey and rather than being a distraction, they provide authenticity and interest, very effectively revealing the inner Aubrey. Thankfully Rachel does not shy away from the many pitfalls of a celebrity life nor does she compromise the message of God's forgiveness. Diva NashVegas is a unique look at the country music world as well as a fascinating character study, overflowing with great banter, genuine characters and true joy.

Aubrey James pulled herself beyond the shadow of her late parents Gospel music fame, making a name for herself in Nashville. But the Queen of Country Soul never outran her past. When a trusted friend betrays her in a tell-all to the tabloids, Aubrey knows it's time to come clean. The end of an exhausting tour and a break in her hectic schedule seem the perfect time to go public with her side of things.Though I've known Rachel for a year, I'd never read her books. Didn't think they'd be my cup of tea. I'm a suspense/thriller fan. Give me Dekker or Knootz and I'm a happy camper. But I've learned so much from Rachel to make my own writing better that I jumped on this opportunity to read her latest.I'm glad I did.The story is written in a unique style. It's 1st person, but from multiple points of views. At first I was a bit confused, but after a couple of POV shifts I got the hang of the different character voices and never missed another beat. I'd like to see more stories written this way. With only Aubrey's POV the book wouldn't have been the same. And Scott's a likable guy, adding a lot to the story.There is so much to this story. I laughed (almost fell out of my seat a couple of times). I even got angry at one point in the story. Angry with a fictional character. I'm talking pulse pounding in the temple mad. I'm still scratching my head over that. I'm the guy who always remembers it's fake. As an aspiring novelist especially, I've gotten away from the emotions in a story. I'm too busy trying to dissect a story, figure out how it works.There's much to learn from Aubrey's story about forgiveness and letting go of our past. The good side of grieving our losses. Finding that place where we belong. Being true to who God made us to be.This was the 1st novel of Rachel's I'd delved into. I was blessed to get a freebie for review purposes. I can assure you though, this is not the last time. And the next time, I'm laying down my hard earned cash.

Aubrey James is not your typical CBA heroine. Frankly, I loved breaking away from the stereotypes. Aubrey has spunk, but cant get her life to calm down. Shes strayed far from her Gospel roots, as evidenced when her fianc moves in. Shes also under attack from a former band member who wants to replace her. Then her record company puts pressure on her to produce an album quickly. And her love life isnt going as smoothly as shed expected when she accepted Cars ring.The book shows Aubreys journey back to herself. Shes pulled along that journey by her manager, best friend, and Connie, a mother figure. They encourage her to tell her story for the first time. She does and in the process rediscovers herself.I could relate to Aubreys struggles. And through Aubreys journey, the author examines several of the imitations we settle for rather than seeking true acceptance and love from Christ. Whether its acclaim, human love, or belonging to a family, nothing material can fill the God-shaped void in our lives.